Reunion
by Clara Collins
Summary: Baby Bella was Rosalie's and Esme's second chance, Emmett, Jasper and Alice's new favorite sister, Carlisle's baby girl and Edward's best friend... that is, till she is taken away. / AU / ExB / canon pairings / Multi POVs, mostly from EPOV for the first few chapters.
1. Prologue

_As I said on Islands, I would be posting a new baby Bella story and here it is! It's kind of different from all the others - I've only seen one story that's mildly close to mine - it's got a whole twist. You might figure it out beforehand but hey, if you know then you know. *laugh* Anyway, the chapters for these will be shorter, and not as long as those in Islands, which average 4k. You're looking at 2.5-3k chapters here (long chapters are TIRING), and maybe the occasional 4k chapter. Who knows?_

_Anyway, I hope you guys like this! It's been something I've been wanting to write for a while and I've finally gotten around to it. Tell me what you think!_

_Here goes..._

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing, apart from this huge plush thing that my friends won for me at those claw machines._

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**[Rosalie]**

Emmett's loud laughter boomed, and several birds flew away.

'Emmett!' I chided, smacking him on the head. 'You're scaring the wildlife.'

He hooked his arm around my waist. 'Sorry, Rosie.'

'Sure, Em.'

'Come on, Rose, don't be like that,' he pleaded. 'Babe.' His tone turned whining, nestling his head into the crook of my neck. I shivered – his cool breath tickled my neck. Emmett, of course, didn't miss this. 'How about I make it up to you?'

I crossed my arms, looking at him disdainfully. 'How, Emmett?'

'At home,' he said, grinning. 'Come on, Rose,' he repeated. 'I'll race you back!' He barely waited for my reply before he turned to face north and took off. I followed suit, willing my legs to run faster as my mind toyed with the ideas of what we could do at home, in the privacy of our own room. Hmm…

Abruptly, I stopped. Emmett, who I had overtaken a few hundred miles back, slammed into me.

'Aw, Rose, what'd you do that for?'

My senses were sharper now – I smelt blood. My ears pricked, searching for sounds of life. Faintly, I heard a cry. It was a girlish soprano, followed by a lower sound – a masculine tenor.

Emmett's eyes widened in realization, and I knew he smelt what he did. I focused again, and my ears picked up four heartbeats, three weak and erratic, and the last one fast, fierce, panicky. Immediately I was brought back to the sound of the feminine cry – it was a little girl.

I couldn't explain what happened next even if I tried. Something instinctual took over me, as my brain linked the panicked pulse to the girl. I turned, again, in the direction of the sounds and flew down the hill. Vaguely, I heard Emmett call my name in almost-horror. _Rosalie! _The wind whipped at my ears and I ignored him.

Less than twenty-three seconds later I was at the accident scene. A cobalt blue Honda lay mangled on the road, a large container truck splayed on its side. The cries were coming from the Honda, so I headed there first. By then, Emmett had caught up and was watching over my shoulder.

There were three men in the car, with the girl that I had heard. The men were all goners – their heartbeats were feeble. Blood flowed freely from their wounds and I held my breath tightly. The girl was, miraculously, unharmed. Her face was twisted in shock and horror. Bending down, I reached out my arms for her, asking silently if I could carry her.

'Call an ambulance,' I said to Em, far too low for even the girl to hear. 'Then call Carlisle. We're not too far from the house. Ask him to hurry,' I pleaded, my voice almost breaking as the girl started to cry. Her sobs were quiet, heart-wrenching.

_Damn it_, I thought, hefting her up anyway, praying she wouldn't retreat upon touching my cold arms. Instead, she snuggled into me and amongst all that was around me, I felt euphoric.

'You'll be okay,' I murmured. 'You'll be okay.' Her cries softened, eventually reducing themselves to whimpers.

Emmett moved over to check on the truck driver as I rocked the girl back and forth in my arms. The driver was fine, apart from a gash on his head. Emmett talked to him quietly about the accident and I found out it had been his fault – he had gone too fast around the corner, and hit the Honda. I had to resist the growl building in my throat – he could've hurt the girl!

I checked her over once more. Nothing any more serious than a few cuts and scrapes on her legs. Her arms were slightly bruised, and I attributed this to the force of the airbags.

Ten minutes later, sirens sounded from further up the road. There were two ambulances and three police cars in total. I heard the faint purr of Carlisle's Mercedes. Emmett returned to sit next to me.

Two officers went to talk to the truck driver, while the paramedics focused on getting the three men untangled from the car. Emmett walked over to the three officers who were busy analyzing the situation. The sixth officer talked furiously into a handset, calling for another ambulance.

A few minutes later, Emmett walked back over. 'You okay, babe?'

I sighed, looking down at the child in my arms. 'Yeah. I'm worried about this little one, though,' I said, nudging the girl in my arms, who yawned adorably. 'Whether or not the people in there were her family or not, she had to witness death at such a young age…'

He pulled me to him and buried his face in my hair. 'Rosie,' he whispered and I understood everything he was trying to say.

We sat in silence for a while till I spoke again. 'So, what's the deal?'

'They're arresting the truck driver for reckless driving and bringing the bodies back to the morgue to be claimed. I told them we were Carlisle's kids,' he said, just as a black Mercedes pulled up. 'Everything pretty much sorted now, except for this little one…' He gazed down at her adoringly, taking an instant liking to her just as I had. I felt a pang in my chest – as wrong as it was, I wanted to keep her. I wanted to hold her like this for the rest of eternity.

Carlisle walked up, dressed in a dark blue dress shirt and slacks. 'Emmett filled me in. I assume nobody has checked her?' he asked, taking her from my arms gently. I wrapped my arms around me, not wanting to feel the emptiness left behind. Just those minutes alone were enough to make me remember what I could've had if I hadn't been given this life, if I hadn't met Royce that night.

Carlisle's hands moved briskly, running gingerly over her arms and legs, making notes of wherever he touched that caused her to wince. 'I only saw bruises and cuts,' I informed him, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

Two hundred and three seconds later, he was finished. 'You were right, Rose, nothing serious. Here,' he added, passing her back to me. 'I'll go talk to the officers and the paramedics.' He turned to walk away.

'Wait!' I called and he halted in his footsteps. 'Carlisle… can we keep her?' I asked, my voice quiet and hesitant. 'Please.'

His eyes widened minutely. 'Rosalie…'

'Please just ask, Carlisle. I'd hate the idea of her being all alone. It would mean a lot to me if you'd just ask,' I implored.

His lips thinned into a flat line. 'I'll see what I can do,' he replied, strained.

I almost collapsed with relief – the chances of it happening were low, but it was worth a shot. If I hadn't asked, I knew I would regret it later.

'Hey, little one, what's your name?' Emmett cooed. I smiled fondly at him – he would make a great father, if given the chance. I reckoned I'd make a great mother too.

'Bewwa,' she whispered, the words coming out thick.

'Bella? Is that your name, squirt?'

She nodded once. 'I is seven.'

'You're seven?' Emmett clarified. 'You're a big girl, aren't you?'

She merely smiled at him and curled up in my arms, yawning again.

'Go to sleep, Bella,' I whispered. 'It's all okay now,' I said, trying to reassure her, but I knew it wasn't 100% true.

There were two ways this could go. One, the men inside the car hadn't been family, maybe close family friends or something of that sort. She would be traumatized from witnessing them pass on, but hopefully she would heal. Two, the men inside the car were family. If they were extended, then the situation would be similar to the first. But if one of them had been her father… I didn't dare think of consequences.

The second way this could go then split up into a further two ways. One, her mother was still alive and she would return to her. This was the most probable, and realistic. Two, her mother was out of the picture for unknown reasons and thus had nobody to care for her. My heart cracked a bit at this possibility.

The second way could then again split up into another two ways. One, she'd go to a relative's to live with till of legal age, or she'd go to a home, which would be the last thing I wanted for her. Two, she could come home… with us. I was pained – I wanted her to come home with us, so badly. But it would be dangerous. She was a human, and we weren't. Even with impeccable control, if she cut herself and spilt blood, all of us were threats. And Carlisle wouldn't be able to hold down all six of us.

I sighed again. In return for eternity with Emmett, I gave up my humanity and my chance to have children. Truthfully, I would not trade Emmett for anything in this world, but if anything came close, it would be a child.

'Come on, Rosie,' Emmett whispered, obviously knowing what I was thinking. 'Carlisle's coming.'

I straightened up automatically, careful not to wake Bella. Emmett's arm returned to its place around my waist. Being in his arms and a child in mine… there was honestly no better feeling.

Carlisle smiled at me, but it was weary. 'I've talked to the officer…'

'And?' Emmett asked eagerly – I couldn't fault him, seeing as I felt similarly.

'The normal protocol for something like this would be to put her in a home. However, the home here is under renovation and all the children there have all been moved to a temporary holding space. The people who died were her father, his friend and his friend's son. They're still unsure in regards to her mother. I've talked to him and only because I'm one of the senior doctors at the hospital, he has agreed to let us take her home for just this weekend, or at least until they've sorted her future out,' he explained.

I thought I would collapse in joy. I had never been so thankful for Carlisle's job. She was mine – even if just for a weekend, though I'd take whatever I could get. It was only early Thursday night now, so it gave me about three and a half days with her.

'Cool! We've got a new Cullen!' Emmett exclaimed, grinning.

'It's not like that, Emmett,' Carlisle tried to explain gently, but upon realizing the futility of it, stopped. 'Why don't we go home now? I'll call Alice on the way, but I'm sure she's seen it already. We'll need to do up the guest room for her to sleep, quickly.'

Three of us, with Bella in my arms, walked briskly to the car, stopping to thank and bid farewell to the officers. The officer was a tall, burly man, and he looked relieved to have one less thing to worry about this week.

Emmett sat in front so Bella and I could take the backseat, and I laid her down on the plush leather, resting her head in my lap. Once again, she snuggled into me and my heart swelled.

The ride home seemed to fly by. Carlisle was going at a decent speed, yet a three-hour trip passed in mere minutes. Bella was miraculously comfortable in my lap and every chance I got I held her close. She was the complete opposite of me: warm, soft, _human_. She was beautiful, nonetheless, with a heart-shaped face – wide forehead, widow's peak and wide-spaced eyes. Her eyes were my favorite thing about her – a chocolate brown that held a depth, maturity, thoughtfulness far beyond her years. At her age, it was too early to tell how her cheekbones to turn out with the baby fat, but I guessed they would be prominent. They would complement her look beautifully: direct, clear, sharp, no-nonsense. Her jaw was narrow and her chin slightly pointed, and I anticipated it to sharpen as she grew. She was beautiful, almost like what Emmett and I's child would've looked like. _No, Rose_, my mind scolded_, don't go there._ So I didn't.

When we pulled up outside the house it was dark, the moonlight casting a soft glow over the wooden detailing of our home. Bella stirred in my arms and woke up. I inhaled deeply, checking to see if her wounds had closed. There was a fair amount of blood, but it had dried up and the scent had weakened. Adding on, she was only seven, so her age alone would've added to the impotency of her scent.

We walked up the porch steps in silence, knowing that the entire family was already in the living room, anxious. I gripped Bella tighter to me – she was now awake and eagerly drinking in her surroundings. She wanted to touch _everything_, especially my hair. I didn't mind, though. I liked it.

The others had been making small talk nervously in the room, but when we walked in, everything was silent. I kept half an eye on Jasper – he was the newest to our diet and lifestyle, and while her scent was weak, there was still a minute amount of blood present, though dried.

'I'm fine, Rose,' he reassured, sensing my anxiety. 'Who is this?'

Carlisle went to sit by Esme on the loveseat. Emmett, Bella and I arranged ourselves onto one sofa while Alice and Jasper took the smaller one. Edward chose to stand behind Alice and Jasper. Everybody watched us, piqued.

Clearing his throat, Carlisle smiled warmly. 'This is baby Bella. Emmett and Rose had finished their hunt when they came across the accident. Long story short, Bella's father passed on.' Esme stifled a gasp. 'Rosalie pleaded with me to let her stay with us and after all she's been through… who was I to say no? I politely asked Chief Smith and he agreed, though it's just for the weekend.'

'What about her mother?' Esme queried quietly. 'Where would her mother be in a time like this?'

Carlisle smiled, sad. 'They've been trying to get a hold of her, but they're still unsure. Either way, she's ours for the weekend, darling.'

Alice clapped her hands excitedly. 'Oh, this is going to be fun!' She pulled Bella from my arms a bit too roughly for my liking, setting her upright on the floor. 'You'll fit what I bought perfect.'

Bella peered up at her curiously. 'Who are you?'

'I'm Alice, silly. And this is my husband, Jasper,' she said, hugging Jasper to the side.

'Your _husband_?' Bella's eyes widened.

'Yes, mine,' Alice giggled. 'I'm sure you know Emmett, Rosalie and Carlisle. Carlisle is our father, Esme is our mother.' Alice pointed to Esme, who smiled at Bella. 'And that's Edward, my brother,' she said.

Bella openly gaped at him and I resisted the urge to chuckle. 'He has pretty hair,' she whispered, not knowing that we all could hear.

Edward laughed – something he rarely did. 'Hello, Bella,' he said quietly. She walked over to him and he bent down to receive her.

She reached up to finger his hair. 'It's soft too,' she said in amazement, before yawning, her lips forming a perfect O.

I stood up and hoisted her onto my waist. 'Come on, sweetie, let's get you to bed. Alice, show the way, please?' Alice bounded up the stairs eagerly and I followed. The others all laughed softly, dispersing to continue on with what they were doing before.

However, I didn't miss one single thing – especially Edward's eyes on her.

_Edward, what are you doing? _I watched him stiffen and I laughed, walking away.

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_Whew! That's the prologue, folks._

_The first chapter is done and the second one is halfway through, while the third already has its plot outline drawn. _

_As always, leave me a review! I love hearing what you guys thought, even if it's negative (constructive criticism really is appreciated)._

_Clara_


	2. Chapter 1 - Meeting the Family

_Hi everyone!_

_WOW - seriously, just wow! Thank you all truckloads for your response on just the FIRST chapter. I'm shocked. 187 views, 7 faves, 14 follows and 5 reviews?! ?!2#?! #$42h54y4u3k2 *spontaneously combusts* EEEEEEEEEK. I wasn't planning on posting this till later this week but... EEEEEEEEEEK. This is kind of a thank-you : ) so... THANK YOU._

_Without further ado, here's chapter one! : D_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing - it all belongs to the lovely Miss Meyer. _

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Today had been yet another boring day in my infinite existence. The thing is, when you've gotten so old and you've still got so much time ahead of you, you tend to get lazy, complacent. You kind of just think, hey, I've still got the next thousand years or so to do this. It can wait another day.

So that's what I had been doing the whole day – nothing. I lay sprawled on my sofa, my speakers pumping my room full of the sounds of electric guitars and keyboards. I had meant to tweak the engine of my Volvo, but like I previously said, I've got the next thousand years to do it (I've also got Rosalie to do it).

Rosalie, my adopted sister, with her husband, Emmett, were out hunting. They had left the previous day, heading up to Mount Rainier. Alice, my second sister, was flitting around the house, doing God-knows-what. Her husband, Jasper, my brother, was only too happy to follow her around like a mindless robot. My mother, Esme, had spent the day cleaning and gardening, as she usually did. Our house was always spick and span – never any dust or dirt, yet she cleaned incessantly, fretting about petty things. But I loved her for it – it was what a mother was supposed to do, after all. And if it made her happy, then so be it. My father, Carlisle, was a doctor at the New York-Presbyterian University Hospital here in New York. He often took the night shifts, and was home during the day.

The sounds coming from my speaker achieved their purpose – to block out everybody else's thoughts…

_I wonder if Esme will mind… _– Alice

_What in the world is she doing now? Oh, Lord, she's mad. _– Jasper

_Is Alice touching my vanity again? The girl doesn't stop, does she? Oh! I forgot to wipe down the mirror, I wonder if Alice would help me with that… _– Esme

There were only three other people in the house apart from myself, but in an hour or so, Carlisle would return from work, and that would be another stream added to my river of chaos. There were very few pros to being a telepathic and far too many cons – this was the biggest of them all. Over the years I had perfected the art of tuning out, of turning off, but now and then a stray word would drift into my subconscious, yanking me roughly from my happy place.

Two hours later, Carlisle's Mercedes pulled up in the driveway and I was hit by not one, but three different mental voices. I sighed, getting up and descending the stairs to the living room, where Alice, Jasper and Esme were.

The three of them made small talk – I had no interest in doing so. Instead, I stared out the window, and watched Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett emerge from the car and walk up our driveway. They were walking unnaturally slow for our kind, but I didn't question the matter… at least, not until I heard the pulsing of a heartbeat, slow and steady, and smelled blood.

Alice's eyes widened infinitesimally as she had a vision. I saw it too – Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett entering the door with a sleeping human girl in Rosalie's arms. Alice and Esme would be delighted but Jasper… Jasper!

I turned my eyes to him sharply. 'Don't breathe,' I hissed. He had hunted just a few days ago but as he was the newest to our diet, I wasn't going to take any chances.

Esme gasped as the three of them stepped through the threshold and for a long moment, that was the only sound in the room. Rosalie's eyes came to rest warily on Jasper.

'I'm fine, Rose,' he said, smiling. 'Who is this?'

Instead of answering, Rosalie, Emmett and the human girl sat down on our cream sofa. Carlisle went to Esme's side, offering her a quick kiss on the cheek.

For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off this human girl. She looked to be about seven or eight, still suffering from the bluntness of baby fat that she had yet to lose. Her features, while imperfect, asymmetrical, _human_, were beautiful nonetheless: large, almond-shaped chocolate eyes, pink lips and a button nose. She eyed us all curiously and I took a second to focus on her thoughts, but received nothing – strange. Who was she, and why was she here?

Carlisle cleared his throat, before smiling warmly at all of us. 'This is baby Bella,' he said. _Bella,_ I mused_, how apt. She is as beautiful as her name implies_. 'Emmett and Rose had finished their hunt when they came across the accident. Long story short, Bella's father has passed on.'

Esme shrieked at this, her thoughts distraught. _Oh, the poor thing. To lose a father at such a young age… she barely knew him, too. Poor baby…_

'Rosalie pleaded with me to let her stay with us,' he continued. I felt the rumblings of a growl deep in my chest – as charming and as beguiling as this little girl was, a human staying in a house of seven vampires was far from a clever idea. 'And after all she's been through… who was I to say no?' I ground my teeth together. Carlisle was too kind for his own good, for our good, and for this girl's good. 'I politely asked Chief Smith and he agreed, though it's just for the weekend.' Weekend. Great. Roughly 72 hours with her. Not much happens in 72 hours, right? Right?

Esme was still distressed. 'What about her mother?' _Surely she has a mother. Where is she? How could she do this to her daughter? Does she even have a mother? _She whimpered mentally before continuing to voice what she had thought. 'Where would her mother be in a time like this?'

Carlisle looked down at her affectionately and smiled sadly. 'They've been trying to get a hold of her, but they're still unsure.' His voice was soft and gentle, and I recognized it as the one he used when trying to comfort a patient's family members. 'Either way, she's ours for the weekend, darling,' he said, attempting to cheer her up. It worked – Esme's heart-shaped face broke out into a large smile.

Alice clapped her hands excitedly. 'Oh, this is going to be fun!' You'll fit what I bought _perfect_,' she cried, grabbing Bella, her mind whizzing through a series of images of Bella in various dresses and skirts and blouses. I wondered how she had known in advance and then I wondered how I had missed it in her thoughts.

Bella spoke then, for the first time. 'Who are you?' Her voice was still blunt and indistinct; she was a child after all.

'I'm Alice, silly. And this is my husband, Jasper,' Alice explained, pulling Jasper to her.

The way Bella's eyes widened was almost comical. 'Your _husband_?' The rest of us stifled a laugh.

'Yes, mine,' Alice giggled, almost triumphant. 'I'm sure you know Emmett, Rosalie and Carlisle. Carlisle is our father, and Esme is our mother. And that's Edward, my brother.'

She looked at me with even wider eyes, her mouth hanging open in the midst of her gawking. I tried my hardest not to laugh. 'He has pretty hair,' she mumbled almost inaudibly, but with our heightened senses, nothing went past us.

I couldn't take it – I laughed. 'Hello, Bella,' I greeted her and she walked on shaky legs over to me. Instinctually, I thrust out my hands to receive her, to catch her if she fell. Her fingers gently twirled a lock of my hair.

'It's soft too,' she said quietly, her face awestruck. I laughed again – silly Bella. Then she yawned, her lips forming a pink O.

Rosalie eagerly reached for her. 'Come on, sweetie, let's get you to bed.' Her thoughts were almost euphoric – this was her second chance, even if only for a weekend. For the first time in a long time, I detected no bitterness towards humans in her tone. She was just happy, ridiculously so. Alice readily led them up the stairs to the room, Jasper chuckling in her thoughts. My eyes trailed the three of them, focusing on Bella. She was halfway between reality and dreamland, her face scrunching up as she tried to get comfortable in Rosalie's arms.

Rosalie must've noticed my staring, because she thought, _Edward, what are you doing? _I tensed. I thought nobody had seen me.

It was now just Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper and I left in the living room. They all looked at me expectantly.

'What?' I said, unable to help the accusatory tone in my voice.

_Son, _Carlisle thought_, it's just that… we all thought you'd be the first to oppose._

_You're actually okay with this? _Emmett was oozing disbelief. I rolled my eyes.

_Edward… _Jasper was uncertain.

Esme was uncharacteristically silent.

I sighed once. 'It's not something I like very much, especially with how risky it is for her and possible exposure. But since it's just for the weekend I can't complain. We'll just have to be careful for the next few days.'

'She charmed you too, didn't she?' Jasper was smug.

My lips thinned into a line. 'Yes.'

Emmett exploded. 'Isn't she just so cute? Mom, did you see her? I already love the little squirt!' _I wonder what we can do… do you think she'll be afraid of insects? _

I shook my head. 'No insects, Emmett, please.' However, I was more preoccupied by his obvious attachment to her already...

Esme laughed, and it sounded like a breeze whistling through wind chimes. 'She's adorable, darling. I like her very much.' She and Rose both felt similarly – they both saw this as a second chance, and though they'd rather have Bella all to themselves, they loved each other enough to share.

Emmett and Jasper started up a staring contest then, while Carlisle and Esme talked quietly in hushed tones, hands linked. I went to sit on the armchair and stared blankly into space, searching everybody's thoughts.

_Jasper better not cheat again! The last time he distracted me and I lost. Ugh, his face makes me laugh, though. _

_Emmett trying to concentrate is very entertaining. Especially the way his face scrunches up… No, Jasper! Concentrate. Stare him down. _

_She looks so peaceful, I wish I could sleep… I miss being human. She would look like something Emmett and I's baby girl would look like..._

_I wonder if she'll like the pink frock or the purple one better. I'm betting on the pink one… no, she'll like the purple. Oh, damn – most of the stuff I bought is pink… Well I suppose I could order some later and it'd come in the morning. Yes? Yes. _

_She makes Esme so happy. We should do this more often._

_Oh, is it wrong of me to wish that her mother did not exist? I do so very much want to keep her to myself. She's lovely, so sweet. I hope Rosalie cleaned her wounds right._

I laughed at the wide spectrum of my family's thoughts. They were all entertaining, unique individuals and I loved them very much. I decided to briefly peek into Bella's thoughts, to see what she was dreaming of. It would be intriguing, no doubt.

I closed my eyes. It took a few moments, but I finally heard her. Her dreams were fuzzy, mostly shapes and colors… _Funny_, I thought. It should be clearer than this… Why couldn't I read her right?

I pushed the idea to the back of my head, blaming it on the fact that she was still a child, till a voice in my head nagged that I could hear thoughts of children perfectly well.

'Carlisle,' I said quietly, noticing that Rosalie and Alice had returned.

He looked up. _Yes, son?_

'I can't read her.'

Everybody's thoughts trailed to a sudden, shocked halt.

_What? _

_But his ability is infallible._

_She's not even a shield!_

'What do you mean?' Jasper asked.

'I can read her,' I explained quickly. 'But it's fuzzy. At first I attributed it to her being a child and thus having thoughts that aren't as developed but…'

'But what?'

'I can read other children perfectly fine. But with her, it's intermittent. I get images and words, but they're static and unclear.'

Carlisle folded his hands together. 'But why would this be? Surely, she can't be a shield,' he mused. 'That's the only kind safe from your skill.'

'She's human, she can't be a shield,' Rosalie protested weakly. 'At least, I've never heard of one.'

'It's a theory,' Jasper agreed.

'It means I won't be able to know if she suspects anything…' I trailed off hesitantly.

Alice rolled her eyes. 'Edward, she's _seven_. We'll just have to be careful.'

Esme nodded. 'It's only for a few days anyway,' she said. 'Speaking of which, how did it come to this, darling?' she asked Carlisle.

'As you already know, Rosalie and Emmett chanced upon the accident on their way home – Rose smelt blood. Emmett called the police, the hospital and me. When I arrived on scene, Rose pleaded for me to ask them, if we could keep her,' Carlisle explained. 'It didn't take much convincing – they were already looking for a place for her to stay the weekend. It's against protocol, but they were desperate.'

'Why?' Jasper wondered.

'The home is under renovation, and all the children who were staying there have already been allocated temporary residence. They didn't have anywhere for her to go,' he replied sadly. 'I offered to take care of her for a weekend and Chief Smith readily accepted.'

Rose thanked Carlisle again for asking, while Emmett and Alice wondered what they could do with Bella this weekend. Esme fretted over Bella's meals – most of her knowledge from her human days was obsolete now. Jasper debated on what classic she might like. Everybody in the family seemed happy with the entire arrangement, except me.

As what we were, we have gone to great lengths to protect ourselves and our family. We've moved, we've threatened, we've nearly killed. All to protect who we are and who we love. I'm not making any implications as to Bella spilling our secret, but because of her, we have a higher chance of being detected, if only marginally. Don't get me wrong – I liked Bella. But I needed to look at the bigger picture, to look at the ways this would impact us as a coven and as a family.

Granted, there would be no trouble for her if she left after the weekend. The Volturi would not find out and our lives would not be at risk. Heck, she wouldn't even know what we were. These thoughts were comforting, yet why did I feel like she'd be in our lives a lot longer?

There were disastrous long-term consequences to this. What if Rosalie and Esme got too attached? Again, what if the Volturi found out? Aro and Carlisle are old friends, surely he'd be able to reason with him? What if Bella found out (hell, even if she told, I don't think anybody would believe her)? What if _she _was put at risk?

I felt like I was choking on all these possibilities, a metal vise around my throat, cutting off my air supply – even though I didn't need it.

_No, _I thought. _Shut up._

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_Edward can be quite the pessimist/realist, eh?_

_Leave me a review (or two... or three... or four...)! _

_Plus, the next chapter is almost done. If I get 7 reviews on this one I'll update again tomorrow. Yay for frequent updates! (only if you review, heh)_

_Clara_


	3. Chapter 2 - Whatever You Want, Bella

_Hey guys!_

_Here's the new chapter : D lots of Bella and the Cullens in this one, mostly with Edward and Rosalie... ; )_

_I didn't get as many reviews as I'd have liked on the last chapter, but I got tons of new follows/faves! Thank you all, so much. I hope you guys like this chapter - it turned out pretty different from what I'd anticipated, but I'm quite satisfied with it._

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to SM._

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Dawn broke early Friday morning, the surrounding forest slowly coming to life. The sun broke through the cloud cover, its rays filtering through the blinds in our house. Blinds that had never been used until then, because now we had a guest: baby Bella. She was sleeping in the guest room next to my room, where I lay on my sofa listening to the soft thumps of her heart and the rising and falling of her chest as she breathed.

'Rose,' Emmett whined as he half-heartedly battled Jasper on the XBOX. Jasper, of course, was winning. 'Can I wake Bella up yet?' _Maybe I'll teach her to play football today…_

She smacked the back of his head. 'Emmett! It's seven in the morning, so _no_.' _Remind me why I'm married to him again? _I laughed. Rose frequently asked herself this question, but it never got any less funny.

'But Rose, I'm _bored_,' he protested. _Do you think she'll give in if I do the puppy-dog eyes?_

'Emmett, you need to remember she's a human,' Esme broke in. _Oh, my son…_ 'She needs her rest, unlike you.'

_Great, now Esme too. _'But _Mom_,' he tried again.

'No,' Rose repeated and her tone brooked no argument. Emmett leaned back on the sofa and sulked.

Jasper laughed. 'Bro, I totally just trashed you. _Again_.'

Emmett's frown deepened.

It was only nine when Rosalie relented and let Emmett wake Bella up.

_I'm pretty sure there won't be much good coming out of this, _Esme thought. _Perhaps I should've offered to wake her up instead_. Then, a loud shriek pierced the house.

I resisted the urge to smack my forehead. Trust Emmett to scare Bella. Honestly, what was Rose thinking?

I lay back on the sofa. Though as much as I wanted to comfort Bella, I let Rosalie and Esme deal with it. I closed my eyes and listened through the wall.

_'Emmett, what the hell did you do?' _Rose scolded.

_'Language, Rosalie,' _Esme chastened.

_'I didn't do anything Rosie! I just wanted to wake her up and I smiled at her, that's all,' _Emmett defended. Through his mind I saw it play out: he had entered Bella's room, wondering how to wake her up, eventually deciding on just leaning over her, grinning, and tickling her awake. Not only was it an unpleasant way to wake up, she had to deal with the sudden vision of Emmett's grin, which could be rather unsettling. I rolled my eyes – _Emmett._

Bella started to cry and Rosalie and Esme panicked.

_Oh my God, she's crying. Oh my God!_

_What do I do? Oh, I don't like seeing her cry, not at all._

_Oh, man, I didn't mean to make the little squirt cry. _

After five minutes, it became clear that they were unable to quiet her. I groaned, getting off my sofa.

'What's going on here?' I asked.

Bella's cries softened when she saw me, and she reached out. 'Edward,' she said.

Rosalie sighed. Esme smiled.

_Figures she'd want him… _Rosalie thought sourly. I ignored her.

_Edward, she likes you! _Esme was almost cooing.

_Man, why does she like Edward and not me? I'm so much cooler. _Emmett was in a huff.

I laughed. 'Good morning, Bella,' I greeted, picking her up. 'Why are you crying?'

She pouted adorably, her eyes still glistening with tears. 'Emmett scared me.'

'Are you still scared now?'

She paused, thinking, scrunching up her face. The four of us laughed. 'No. I'm hungry.'

'Let's get you some food, Bella,' Esme said gently. 'What would you like?'

'Ice cream? Please?'

Rosalie shook her head. 'Sorry, sweetie, you have to get some proper food first. You can have ice-cream later.'

'Pancakes, then, please.' Bella grinned.

Esme smiled. 'Of course, Bella. Rose, why don't you take her to get washed up? Emmett, stay far away from the kitchen, you hear me?'

Emmett gulped. 'Yes, Mom.'

'Can I do anything to help?' I asked as Rosalie left the room with Bella.

'I'm fine, Edward,' Esme reassured.

We all watched in morbid fascination as Bella devoured her breakfast. I had to admit – it looked good. The pancakes were perfectly browned and drowning in syrup, topped with butter, and a side of yogurt and blueberries. It was a shame none of us ate – no matter how good it looked, it would still taste horrid to us.

_I'm so glad she likes it! I've never cooked for a human before, much less made pancakes from scratch. _Esme was floating, almost euphoric.

Bella stopped abruptly, looking up at us. 'Why aren't you guys eating?' She set her fork down, crossing her arms. 'Do you want some?'

Emmett almost burst out laughing; Jasper cracked a smile.

'No, Bella, go ahead. We've already eaten,' Alice reassured. It was true – Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett and Alice had hunted last night after Bella fell asleep, Esme's orders.

'Okay,' she said simply, continuing to eat.

'Do you think that something that looks as good as that could still taste like shit?' Emmett wondered, far too low for Bella to hear.

'Language, Emmett,' Esme said, equally soft, looking pointedly at Bella.

'Nah, she can't hear me.'

Esme rolled her eyes.

'Anyway, what do you guys think? I'm going to give it a go,' Emmett said excitedly.

This time, we all rolled our eyes.

'Sure, Em, but if you get it on the carpet when you're bringing it up, I'll hurt you,' Alice threatened. 'It cost half of your Jeep. Don't you even dare.'

He gulped, but his excitement wasn't dampened much. 'Cool. Hey, Bella, can I have a small piece?'

'Sure,' she agreed, cutting off a small piece and giving it to him. He quickly put it into his mouth.

_Hey, this isn't too ba – Ew! Gross. Shit. How am I supposed to spit this out? Shit!_

Alice must've realized what was going on, because she asked Bella, 'Look, it's so pretty outside,' making her turn to the window for just four seconds, long enough for Emmett to spit the pancake into a napkin.

Jasper snorted. _Idiot_.

'When will you _ever _learn, Emmett?' Rosalie sighed. 'You're so stupid.'

Emmett started to whine. 'But _Rose_, I thought it'd be different.'

'You stupid buffoon.'

After breakfast, Alice insisted on dressing Bella up. All the items she had ordered, unfortunately, had arrived on time. Poor Bella, to have to suffer the wrath of Alice from such a young age – even if only for a weekend.

Alice, Rosalie and Esme dragged her up to their shared closet, while Carlisle retreated to his study. He knew better than to interfere when it came to Alice, as much as he wanted to. Emmett and Jasper were deciding between a wrestling match and a new round on the XBOX. I wandered listlessly around the house, before coming to a stop at my piano. My fingers were itching to play, I realized, something I hadn't felt in a long time.

Gingerly, I lifted the cover, inhaling the smell of the lacquer and the wood. Once again, I reminded myself to be careful – pressing the chords too hard would break them, but pressing them too softly would not produce the note. It was all about achieving balance and one of the reasons why Esme and Carlisle purchased it for me decades ago. As my parents, they thought it to be a smart way to teach me control and since I had become a rather skilled pianist in my human life, it was effective. I divided my time between playing concertos and composing my own pieces.

Without thinking, my fingers had begun to play. It was almost like second nature to me, despite not having played it for such a long time. Frankly, I didn't even know what I was playing. I didn't remember what chords I had pressed, or what the name of the piece was.

When I stopped, there was soft applause from my family; Esme was beaming. I nodded in thanks, before continuing onto the next piece.

Bella lumbered over to the piano. 'What are you playing, Edward?' she asked, her voice sweet.

'Debussy,' I replied, finishing _Prelude_. I skipped _Menuet_ and moved onto _Clair de Lune_ instead. 'Do you play, Bella?'

She frowned. 'No.'

'Would you like me to teach you?'

'I don't have good coordination,' she said softly. 'I trip a lot. I'm clumsy. I'd either break your piano or fail at learning to play.'

'If you break it, we can always buy another,' I offered, grinning. 'As for failing… I don't think so, Bella, especially when your teacher is as good as me.'

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie roll her eyes. _Arrogant bastard_.

'I don't know,' she said hesitantly.

'C'mon,' I encouraged. 'I can be very patient, and I'm sure you'll do great.'

'Do it, squirt!' Emmett chimed in, pumping his fist in the air.

'Fine,' she acquiesced, as I finished the last few chords, letting them fade into silence.

I started off with the basics, explaining the notes and teaching her simple fingering. She wasn't as bad as she had previously made herself out to be – when she focused and put her mind to it, she did rather well. I taught her _Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star_ and though it took twenty-three tries, she mastered it in the end, playing without my help.

'You did it, Bella!' I held my hand out for a high five, as the rest of the family filed in, ready to hear her play. 'Can you play for everybody now?'

She bit her lip – something I noticed she had made a bad habit of whenever she was nervous or upset. 'I'm not sure.'

'Why don't you give it a go? We won't laugh at you,' I assured.

'Okay,' she said, her fingers beginning to play. Her movements were tentative, and there were often more than a beat's break between segments of the song, but all her chords were correct. Esme began to sing along quietly, her smooth voice carrying across the room.

'That was perfect, Bella,' Jasper praised and Bella blushed, a lovely shade of red staining her alabaster cheeks.

Emmett grinned, a little scarily. 'Not bad for your first try, not bad at all.'

Alice bounced eagerly. 'Now can I change her clothes?'

Rosalie groaned – she liked dressing Bella up, but she had taken upon herself the motherly role, and she had her limits. 'No, Alice. Lunch first.'

'But _Rose_.'

'Lunch.'

'Esme! How can you let her do this?' Alice wailed.

'Lunch,' Esme agreed.

Alice huffed. _This is so unfair! It won't even take that long, honestly. Edward, help me!_

I chuckled, shaking my head. 'You're on your own, Alice.'

'What would you like to do now, Bella?' Esme asked as she cleared the plates from the table. Bella's audience had dwindled to Rosalie, Esme and I – Alice was off shopping again, Carlisle was studying; Emmett and Jasper had gone off hunting.

'I want to change,' Bella declared.

Rosalie stared at her, nonplussed. 'Change?'

'Out of these clothes. They're itchy.'

I laughed, hearing Alice's disgruntled thoughts from upstairs.

_Itchy! Who cares about itchy? They're cute! And she looks great in them! Maybe she'll like the pink t-shirt more…_

Rosalie snickered, then quickly composed herself. 'What would you like to wear?'

Bella's smile was wide. 'Comfy.' Rosalie hitched Bella on her waist, even though she was perfectly able to walk – Rose wanted to. The two of them bounded up the stairs, with me following behind.

When we passed my room, Bella abruptly clambered down, opening the door.

_What the hell? _Rose thought. I shrugged as the two of us followed her inside.

'Edward,' Bella called sweetly from inside.

'Yes, Bella?'

'Can I wear one of your shirts?'

I think I was stunned into paralysis – Rose started laughing, while Bella looked at me nervously.

Her bottom lip trembled. 'I-it's okay if I c-can't,' she stuttered nervously, clutching the shirt of mine that she held close to her chest.

I knelt down so I was eye level with her. 'Silly Bella, _of course_ you can. I was just wondering _why_,' I explained carefully.

'Because they look comfy and you smell nice,' she said simply.

I was about to respond when Alice came barging into the room. Her face was twisted into one of anger, and Bella cowered into me in response.

'What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?' she half-shrieked. 'Letting her wear _that_.' Her words were sharp, cold, disgusted.

I held back a snarl, knowing Rose had it under control.

'Alice,' Rose said evenly. 'Bella is allowed to wear what she wants.'

'Not when I bought a whole closet of clothes for her!'

Bella started to shake again, and I felt something wet seep into my shirt. I felt a growl rising, and I did my best to force it to subside.

'It's okay, Bella,' I whispered.

'Bella didn't _ask _for you to buy her those clothes, Alice! You did it all by yourself,' Rosalie argued. 'You have no right to be angry.'

Bella spoke then, vaguely muffled by her face pressed into me. 'I can wear what you want if it would make you stop fighting.' Her voice was hesitant, reluctant, sad.

'No.' Rosalie was firm. 'Alice just needs to learn that she's not always going to get her way.' Rose narrowed her eyes at Alice then, looking truly terrifying. Alice sighed, relenting, and left the room.

It took Bella forty-seven seconds to reveal her face, her eyes red and glassy. I restrained myself then – all I wanted was to slap Alice.

'I'm sorry I made you fight,' she said quietly.

'Don't be,' Rose reassured. 'If you want to wear Edward's shirt, then wear it. Alice might stop you, like she just attempted to, but we'll stop her.'

'Thank you, Rosalie.' Bella smiled, though it was small.

I stood up. 'I'll wait outside and let you get changed, Bella.'

Fifty-two and a quarter seconds later they were out.

Bella's hand latched onto mine. 'What are we doing today?'

'Whatever you want,' Rosalie said.

She was silent for a moment, thinking. 'Can we go to the park?'

I glanced out the window – the sky was mildly bright, but there was enough cloud cover; we'd be safe. 'Okay,' I agreed.

'Can we feed the ducks?'

'Of course.'

'And a picnic?'

'Whatever you want, Bella,' Rosalie and I said simultaneously. The two of us grinned at each other – we never had something, besides our cars, to bond over till now.

Bella broke out into a large smile. 'Yay!' she cheered, and all I could do was grin back at her.

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_I love making Alice angry, don't you? Frankly, I've read a lot of stories where Alice always gets what she wants and I wanted to do something different - antagonizing her is very fun. Or maybe I'm just naturally mean, ha ha._

_The next chapter is the Cullens at the park! What would you like to see them do? I've got some ideas in mind, but I wouldn't mind more. *hint hint* ; )_

_As always, review, follow and favorite! I love to know what you guys think, and if you did all three, you are a saint. _

_Clara_


	4. Chapter 3 - Thinking

_Hey, y'all! *southern accent*_

_Thanks for the two reviews on the last chapter and for taking this story to over a THOUSAND hits! Seriously, you guys rock. Here's another chapter - as usual, my characters took on a mind of their own and the chapter turned out wildly different from what I anticipated, but I'm pretty satisfied with it, I guess. It gets a bit convoluted at some parts, but eh. We revisit an old POV from this one - Rosalie! Cue cheering/booing. It's also shorter than usual by over a thousand, but the next chapter will be longer, I prrrrromise! I know I said that this chapter would be the Cullens at the park and well, they ARE at the park, hardy har har. Next chapter will be bonding stuff so basically Emmett trying not to scare Bella, Jasper laughing his head off, Alice fretting about Bella's clothes, Edward and Rosalie worrying and Carlisle and Esme getting entertained and amused. _

_Also please note: I'm trying to stay away from this story for a while - in the process of working on this, I've terribly neglected Islands. I endeavor to put out a chapter for Islands within the week, but that's only if Reunion doesn't tempt me! Fingers and toes crossed : ) So yeah, the wait till next chapter will probably be longer than a few days but I really can't confirm anything. I'm bad at this planning thing - my mind has this terrible habit of disobeying me, if you could call it that._

_This is a pretty long note - oops! I'll stop it here, anyway. I don't have anything more to yabber about, heh. I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

_Disclaimer: 'Twilight' belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own anything._

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'Bella, slow down!' Edward joked as the two of them raced up the hill. He, of course, was going slower on purpose. 'I'm going to lose.' Bella took a second to pause and turn around, sticking her tongue out, before continuing her run.

'Rosie, why do I have to carry the basket?' Emmett whined.

'Because you're my big, strong, _sexy_ man,' I winked and he brightened up considerably, straightening his back. There was more spring in his step too. 'I'll reward you when we get home, darling.'

'Em, your lust is through the roof,' Jasper remarked, sniggering. 'I'm glad I'm not the mind reader here.'

'Children, will you _hush_?' Esme scolded. 'The more you talk, the longer it'll take to get to the top of the hill and the longer Bella will have to wait for her lunch.' I smirked – Esme loved Bella as much as I did, and cared for her in the same motherly manner.

'But Esme, we could run up there in less than ten seconds,' Emmett pointed out. The goof – we're not supposed to reveal what we are. Again, why was I married to him? Edward laughed from where he was, obviously hearing my thoughts, and I scowled.

'Emmett!' we exclaimed simultaneously.

'Seven minutes and thirty seven seconds till we're at the top and another one minute and three seconds to set up the picnic,' Alice announced. Esme and I nodded satisfied, and we all lapsed back into peaceful, comfortable silence.

I took the trek up to think, particularly about Bella. She was a great addition to the family – even if only for the weekend. She was an addition we never knew we needed. Looking back now on all the years that have passed, we were all missing something. Esme and I missed our opportunity to have children, Alice too, but to a lesser extent. We never publicly voiced our feelings – at least Esme didn't and when I did, it wasn't often and in the privacy of mine and Emmett's room, though Edward would inevitably overhear – but we wanted children. We _needed_ children, almost. Women are born with the inherent need to be a mother, though it's not always as amplified as mine and Esme's, or as reduced as Alice's. Emmett and Carlisle are both grateful for Bella, I know. Carlisle is delighted at how happy Esme has become – anything that contributes to her happiness contributes to his. He, too, has always wanted children, but he didn't like to dwell on that fact. He had been changed more than three centuries ago – ample time for him to come to terms with it. But then again, he's a man. We do things differently.

Emmett is somewhat different from Carlisle. He's remarked on how happy I've become, in his classic Emmett way, but he never wanted to be a father like Carlisle. He was satisfied being childless – the only thing he disliked was that it brought me unhappiness. Bella was more of a little sister to him than a daughter. (God forbid Emmett ever be a father; imagine what his kid would turn out like? Ew.) Sure, he had Alice, but Alice didn't need protecting like Bella did. Alice was a vampire – virtually indestructible. She didn't need protecting from the perils of humanity: car crashes, natural disasters, things of that sort.

Jasper felt similarly to Emmett. He was hesitant, initially, of course, about hurting Bella. Explicably so, he was the newest to our diet. Combined with his past, he had more than enough reason. It was by our lucky stars that Bella was still young – her scent was weaker, less potent, and more tolerable importantly. He was proud of himself, and so was I. We played pretend-twins in real life, but at home, we truly were the twins that we were. He read me as well as I read him, though we didn't have much in common. He was more scholarly, preferring to spend time discussing theories and philosophies with Carlisle and Edward. (Active, too; he wrestled with Emmett on an almost daily basis.) I was admittedly and unashamedly more shallow – a reason why I hung out with Alice so much. Our shopping trips fulfilled her urge to buy things that she didn't need and my need to be reminded how beautiful I looked. Alice and I balanced each other out perfectly, though it hadn't always been that way…

When Alice had first joined, I was still in the phase where I resented Carlisle for changing me. I wanted children, desperately, hopelessly, and he took that away from me. Alice had never felt that way and I didn't understand that. But now I knew it was just Alice – she wasn't the motherly kind, she was far too hyperactive for that. Often, I pitied poor Jasper. But now she was in her element – she had another person in the house to dress up, even if only for the weekend. She could get a bit overbearing and demanding sometimes though and it wasn't often I was able to stop her. I guess knowing Bella was receiving the brunt of it helped, as well as having Edward to back me up if need be.

Ah, Edward… I had never seen him take to a human so quickly. It was interesting, freaky and aggravating at the same time. Bella was supposed to be my second chance, my salvation, and yet he was snatching that away from me. Though I liked knowing that there would be another vampire looking out for her – it was better than him ignoring her, it would've broken little Bella's heart. Even if only for a weekend.

_Even if only for a weekend… _that phrase taunted me cruelly. I only had a weekend with her. A weekend! As if that would be enough. Hell, forever wouldn't be enough. Perhaps I could talk to Carlisle about adopting her.

_No, Rosalie Lillian! _A voice nagged at me. _Bella has a mother_.

I resisted the urge to laugh. If she had a mother, where the hell was she?

_If you adopted her, you would be denying another woman the chance to be a mother – besides, if she has a mother then you can't adopt her. Would you do to another woman something you detested having being done to yourself?_

If Bella's mother wanted to be a mother so badly, where the hell was she? That was the question I kept repeating. Where was she? Where was she? It was selfish, cruel, atrocious, harsh, heartless, if I were to take Bella. Not just those, it would make me a hypocrite too. But I was Rosalie Lillian Hale-Cullen – if nothing, I was known for my tenacity, my shallow-mindedness, my greed, my self-indulgence. Even if I was all those things, I'd like to think I have a redeemable trait: my love for my family. That trait screamed that we had to keep Bella – she was the glue that had pulled us closer together.

Part of me fought to keep Bella, but another part fought to remind myself that I ought to be grateful for an hour with her, let alone a weekend; grateful that she had so seamlessly embedded herself in the patchwork dynamics of our family.

But that was just it, too. When she left, what would happen to us? Esme would be devastated, in turn hurting Carlisle. Jasper, Alice and Emmett would be hurt too. Hell, all of us would be hurt, particularly Edward and myself, I predicted. Edward was inexplicable to me, but I knew why I would be hurt. I was given a second chance; I was offered salvation, only to have it plucked from me. I would be able to prepare for this, I assured myself, calming down slightly. But, really, would any amount of preparation ever be adequate?

I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't realized that we reached the top of the hill, nor had I realized Bella clinging onto my leg.

'Rosie,' she said. 'I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat, please?'

I smiled indulgently. 'Of course, Bella. You know we packed sandwiches for you.' We walked over to the checkered blanket that had been spread out on the grass, where Esme and Carlisle lay talking. I fished out a sandwich from the basket for her and she settled herself on my lap to eat. We watched Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Edward play football. I caught traces of annoyance on my Emmett's face – he didn't like moving so slow and using so little strength. In fact, neither did the rest. But it was a sacrifice we were all willing to make for Bella.

Esme was overjoyed at the fact that Bella enjoyed the sandwiches, having devoured at least four. She couldn't stop smiling in satisfaction. Carlisle laughed then, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. Then they looked at each other so intensely I felt uncomfortable. _Seriously, Mom? Dad?_

'Guys,' I said, speaking higher than what the human could hear. 'Somewhere else, _please_.'

Esme looked down, embarrassed while Carlisle smirked, snatching her up in their arms and running off.

'I'm sorry you had to see that, Bella,' I apologized.

'S'okay,' she mumbled. 'Mom and Phil do it all the time.'

'Phil?'

'Her boyfriend.'

'Your parents aren't married?' I was vaguely shocked.

'They got a… divorce?' she said hesitantly. 'I live with my mom and Phil. I don't see my daddy much.'

'You're not close to your father?' I was sad but relieved at the same time – I couldn't imagine growing up without a father but it was a new age now. Things were so much different from when I had been growing up. On the plus side, if she hadn't been plenty close to her father, it would be easier to get over his death.

She shook her head, staring down at her sandwich. 'I stayed with him for two weeks every summer since I was three.' She sounded almost resigned, and I marveled at her maturity. She understood.

'I'm sorry about your dad,' I said quietly. 'I couldn't imagine life without mine.'

She nodded. 'So am I.'

In an effort to lighten the situation, I asked about her mom.

'I look a lot like her,' she said finally. 'She's very beautiful.'

'You're beautiful too, Bella,' I reminded gently.

'Sure.' She didn't sound convinced, but I didn't push it. 'She's a terrible cook; we usually get Chinese or pizza. Phil cooks sometimes, though it isn't much better.' I frowned. She wasn't getting the proper, healthy food she needed.

'Do you know where your mother is now?'

'Phil plays baseball, you know, the game with the long wooden stick and the white ball?' I nodded, almost chuckling at her description. She was mature, but she was adorable. 'He's at a game and Mom followed him, I guess.'

'Do you miss her?'

I was shocked at her answer: 'No.'

'Why not?'

'I wanted to see Charlie…' Her lip trembled minutely, far too small for a human to see, but my enhanced sight didn't miss it.

'Oh, Bella,' I sighed. 'You're with us now. We'll take care of you, we promise.'

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_My original intention for this chapter was to show more of Bella with the Cullens. However, after choosing Rosalie as the narrator for this chapter, things turned out differently. If I had picked Edward, then sure, we'd get to see Bella with the Cullens, but no super-deep internal monologue like Rosalie's here. I probably won't be doing Edward next chapter - I'm trying to switch it up a bit, you know? It's a high chance I'll do multiple POV for the next chapter, though then I'd have to work on the problem of smoothly transitioning... Edward and Rosalie have gotten a bit boring, they've had two chapters each! And I'd love to do one in Emmett's POV... I'm blabbering. Sorry._

_This chapter was very introspective - another side to (often) superficial Rosalie. The next chapter ought to be lighter - I was in a very pensive mood today so that accounts to why this chapter is what it is._

_As always, follow, favorite, review! They motivate me to write another chapter ; )_

_Clara_


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